Means for adjusting vehicle springs



Oct. 4, 1932. w. c. DUNN MEANS FOR ADJUSTING VEHICLE SPRINGS Filed May 31. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet Oct. 4, 1932. w. c. DUNN MEANS FOR ADJUSTING VEHICLE SPRINGS Filed May 31, 1929 2 ShGGtS-SIIQGL 2706/? 251 Z/ZZZZ/IZ 6.17am? Patented Oct. 4, 1932 i V r UNITED STA-TS 'ATENT QFFIC WILLIAM G. Dunner cnIoAeo, ILLINoIs MEANS roe Amusrme VEHICLE SPRINGS Application filed May 31, 1928. Serial No. 367,261.

In automobilespring supporting devices The spring suspension may. be applied commonly used, the leaf spring devices of vaelther to the front or rear wheels or both, rious kinds are arranged for safe load carrytherefore the specific descrlptlon of one Wlll ing at the maximum load, and which with apply equally as well to both.

lighter loads makes the riding quality poor Supported by and depending fromlthe as the stiffness and rebounds are neither C is l iS a br Whlcll a 10911 agreeable nor correct. crank lever is pivotally mounted as at 14.

It is one of the objects of the present in- One arm 15 of thelever is connected as at venti'on to overcome these difliculties and 010- 16 to the axlell and the other arm 17 1s pref- 19. jections and to provide manual means whereerably provided wlth an open1ng 18 thereby an adjustment of the spring stresses, through in whlch a nut 19 is adapted to move, which will be simple, effective and complete, the nut belng preferably; provided with may be obtained, thereby improving the ridfianges 20 engaglng the side faces of the ing qualities of the vehicle and insuring an arm 17. v

1.3 adjustment to compensate varying load con- A screw 21 is ournaled at its ends as at ditions. t 22'23'in, suitable hearings in the lever and A further object is to provide improved the screw passes through the nut 19 so that means whereby such adjustment may be obwhen the screwis rotatedthe nut 19 maybe tained from a remote point upon the vehicle moved lengthwlse thereof.

and which means will be under the control of Any suitable means may be prov e the operator of th vehicle, rotating the screw. A simple and efiicient To the attainment of these ends and the 210- means embodies a worm gear 24 which is concomplishment of other new and useful objects nected with the screw for rotation therewith. as will appear, the invention consists in the Meshing with the. worm gear is a worm 25 features of novelty in substantially the conwhich-is connected with a shaft 26 for rotastruction, combination and arrangement of tion therewith and the shaft may extend to the several parts, hereinafter more fully dethe other side of the chassis so that by operscribed and claimed andshown in the accomation of the shaft adjusting devices on both panying drawings illustrating this invensides of the chassis may be simultaneously 30 tion, and inwhich operated. 0

Figure'l is aside elevation of a vehicle The shaft 26 may be rotated in any de chassis and spring suspension therefor, havsired or suitable manner preferably by means ing adjusting means constructed in accord of a beveled gear 27 secured thereto for rotaance with theprinciples of this invention ap-' tion and with which beveled gear another plied thereto. beveled gear 28 meshes. The gear 28 is se- Figure 2 is a top plan view of Figure 1, cured to a shaft 29 for rotation therewith and with parts omitted. the shaft 29 is preferably rotated through Figure 31s a viewpartly in elevation, partthe medium of a. gear 30 connected theret ly in section and partly broken away of a porwith and with which gear 30 another gear 31 40 tion of'the adjusting means on an enlarged meshes. The gear 31 has connected with it scale. another gear 32 for rota tion therewith and Figure 4c is a sectional view taken on line the gear 32 in turn mesheswith a gear '33 H, Figure 3. which may besecured to a shaft 34 which en Figure 5 is'a detail sectional view taken on compasses the steering shaft 35. Connected 45 line 55, Figure 3. with the shaft 34 is a hand Wheel 36 which Referring more particularly to the drawlatter is preferably arranged in'proximity to ings and to the form of the invention shown the steering wheel 37, so that when the steerin Figures 1 to 5, the numeral 10 designates ing wheel 37 is actuated to actuate the-steerthe chassis of a vehicle, 11 the axles and 12 ing shaft 35 the adjusting device-will not be 50 the supporting wheels. interfered with. l-Iowever, when the hand wheel 36 is actuated the worm Wheel 24 and screw 21 will be rotated, thereby causing the nut 19 to be moved lengthwise of the screw.

which depends below the chassis of the ve-' hide: The other end 41 of the spring 38 is pivotally connected asat l2 by means of a bifurcated extremity 43 of a rod orlink 44;

with the nut 19 through the medium of suitable trunnions, so'that when the nut 19' is adjustedwith respect to the .arm 17 of the bell crank lever the point of pivotal con nection of the rod or link 44 with the nut 19 will beraised or lowered with respect to the axis of the pivot 39 of the spring thereby varying the tension or stress of the spring by varying the position of its point of connection with respect to the length of the arm 17 of the bell cranklever. a

Thus it will be manifest that whenever it is desired to change the stress of the spring 38 it is only necessary to-adjust the hand wheel 36, the result being that through the medium of the intermeshing gear connection with the shaft 26, the nut 19 may be adjusted from the vehicle.

In' order to compensate any movement which would be caused by the rocking of the bell crank lever about the pivot 14 any suitable means may be provided, such for instance as a universal connection or joint 45 in the shaft 29. g 7

Obviously the shaft 29 may have a similar connection with the shaft lfi for controlling the-spring suspensions L7 at the other end of the vehicle. 7

With this invention means are provided whereby the stress of the spring suspension several parts, withinthe scope of the claims,

. 2. In combination a vehicle frame,

' mans:

lever, the other end of the spring being connected with the vehicle frame, means for varying at will the stress of said spring from a point remote therefrom, said means embodying a traveling member mounted upon the lever, and worm gear mechanism for effecting a traveling movement of said member upon the lever.-

spring suspension therefor disposed below said frame, said suspension embodying a lever, a spring connected' with the lever and the vehicle, and means for varying the stress of said'spring from apoint remote therefrom, the said means embodying gear mechanism for varying at will the point of connection of the spring with said lever.

' 3. In combination a vehicle frame, spring suspension therefor disposed below said frame, said suspension embodying a' bell crank lever, a spring connected with one arm of the lever and the vehicle, means for varying the stress of said spring from a point remote therefrom, the said means embodying a member connected with said arm of'the lever and shiftablelengthwise thereof, and gear mechanism thus shifting said member for varying at will the point of connection of one end of said'spring' with respect to the part to which it is anchored. Y Y

t. In combination a vehicle, spring suspension therefor, said suspension embodying a lever, a member mounted to slide upon the lever, a spring, one end of the spring being secured to said member, the other end being anchored to the. vehicle frame, means for varying the stress of said spring at will by moving'said member upon said lever, and means for thus moving the member Withrespect to the lever from a point remote therefrom and fromthe vehicle.

5. Incombination a vehicle, spring suspension therefor, said suspension embodying a lever, a member mounted to slide upon the lever, a spring, one end of the spring being secured to said member, the other end being anchored to thevehicle frame, means for varying the stress of'said spring at will by moving said'member upon said lever, and means embodying gear mechanism for thus moving the member with respect to the lever from a point remote therefrom and from the vehicle. I y

In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name'to this specification, on this 30th day of April, A. D. 1929. g

' WILLIAM C. DUNN. 

